Cooking Tips Every Newbie Needs
If there’s any life skill people need to learn, I would say cooking is one of the top three. Ordering takeout every day of the week is only hurting your wallet and leaving you in desperate survival mode when no one is able to deliver. So instead of speed dialing the pizza place that knows your name, address, and favorite order by heart, consider trying to learn how to cook for yourself. Since you’re new to this, I’ll give you some quick tips to get you started!
Make sure you’re clean!
Never ever begin preparing a meal or snack without washing your hands and making sure your environment is clean. The number of horror stories of work potlucks and holiday dinners being ruined because of dirty chefs is far too rampant. While covid cases are going down, that doesn’t mean food poisoning just stopped being a thing.
Start with the basics then move your way up
Raise your hand if you watched Ratatouille and thought, ‘I can make that.’ Well you can, though probably not right now if you’re reading this article for help. Cooking is an art but it’s also chemistry. Instead of diving headfirst into beef bourguignon or chile en nogada, try something easy. Like really easy. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
Scrambled eggs
Ramen noodles
Pancakes
Steam Vegetables
White Rice
Summer Salad
Quesadillas
Grilled Chicken Breast
Spring Rolls
Spaghetti
Don’t be afraid of seasoning
If you’ve ever seen the comment section of a cooking video, you’ve probably seen plenty of comments about the lack of seasonings. And no, salt is not a seasoning; seasoning is a spice or herb, salt is a mineral which makes it an enhancer, not a seasoning. The best way you learn how to use seasoning is simple: use your nose, taste your food as it cooks, and gradually add herbs, spices, and salt until you reached your desired flavor. Don’t be afraid to experiment either!
The fire doesn’t need to be high all of the time!
To the people who hide behind layers of clothing and pot lids when cooking, this is for you. Turn your heat down, your stove is not a hibachi grill. Unless you’re willing to play Russian roulette every time you cook, I recommend lowering the fire between medium and low. Trust me on this.
Follow the recipe and measure
For beginners, I recommend prepping your ingredients before cooking. Time management is a major concern when cooking. The last thing you want to do is burn your meal because you spent too much time running around for ingredients and re-reading the recipe. If something doesn’t seem right in the recipe, try to follow what it says first before trying something on your own.
If that’s too daunting for you, consider trying delivered meal kits! EveryPlate, Hello Fresh and Blue Apron deliver fresh ingredients you can personalize to your needs and desires on a weekly basis! The ingredients are already pre-measured so all you’ll have to do is some chopping before adding it to a skillet. In addition to giving discounts on your first order, each kit comes with recipe cards you can keep for later. If you’re curious if you’ll like any of the meals, Blue Apron and EveryPlate, both offer easy-to-access recipes on their websites. You can browse until you find a recipe you like!
Don’t be afraid of kitchen tools
My entire life, I’ve loved blades. I blame House of the Flying Daggers and all of the other super popular Asian action films of the early 2000s. Suffice to say, knives aren’t the end all and be all of the culinary tools. Cheese graters, whisks, rolling pins, and meat tenderizers are a thing for a reason. The sooner you learn how to use more tools, the easier cooking will become.
Watch tutorials if you want to learn fast
There are so many helpful cooking tutorials out there. It’s almost impossible not to find one that can help you. Youtube is a godsend if you want to learn from seasoned cooks and TikTok is great for beginners as well.
Babish Culinary Universe is a popular Youtube channel with a variety of playlists showing how to use culinary tools, explaining basic techniques, showcasing botched dishes, and how to make dishes from your favorite shows and video games. From Spongebob Squarepants Krabby Patty Supremes and The Breakfast from Phantom Thread to The Grey Stuff Lumière offered in Beauty and the Beast. If he’s not your speed, simply type any dish into the search bar and you’ll find a tutorial instantly.
It’s okay to start a bit rough
I started cooking very young, like nine-years-old young. I tried making pancakes but unfortunately was no Matilda. I remember the smell and sight of bubbling burnt butter and trying to scrape burnt bits off of my oversized pancakes. I’d try to stomach the taste of sickly sweet pancakes soaked in Mrs. Buttersworth. After a couple of years of practice, I can proudly I’ve never had a burnt pancake again. Though, I’m sure many of you will improve your cooking skills a lot faster than a nine-year-old.
Know your ingredients
Did you know Taro is poisonous if eaten raw and can cause skin irritation if prepared without gloves? Yeah, me neither until recently. In your journey to becoming a better cook, be aware that all ingredients are not created equally and must be prepared in various ways. If you’re unsure what to do, I suggest calling a friend or doing a quick google search.
Save your coins
Contrary to what whole foods want you to think, organic food doesn’t have to be expensive. Local fruit markets and butcher shops often have good quality ingredients that will not empty your wallet. In addition, consider visiting ethnic supermarkets like H-Mart or Northgate González Market. That way you can get authentic non-Americanized ingredients for a reasonable price.
